being in a state of starvation, and they received liberal relief from his ever open purse. At Galway, the Viscount of Galway received regal honours; thence touching at Limerick, he proceeded to Cork. Dumont and the rest of his staff expected him to return to Dublin; but the alarms of England made Lord Galway hasten the despatching of the troops, and he wrote to his staff to meet him at Cork; and, according to subsequent instructions, they went on to Waterford to await his arrival there. Lord Galway was there almost as soon as they were; his coming was announced by a military salute; he received all the civilities of the city, and the best accommodation. The next day he embarked Foulkes’ regiment, and thereafter each regiment as it arrived at Waterford according to his orders. The next in order that appeared was La Melonniere’s, then Mede’s, and the last of the infantry, Belcaste’s. Then the artillery horses were put on board ship, and various cavalry officers, and at length Lord Galway’s own equipage. Thus the fleet being prepared to sail, and his work being done, Lord Galway accepted the invitation of one of the captains, by whom he was entertained on board of a man of-war most sumptuously with viands, wines, and a band of music, and then his lordship spent the night in his own yacht. Next morning the fleet dropped down to Duncannon, and at two in the afternoon a fair wind sprang up; the next day they were in Bristol Channel. That night at supper they drank their Majesties’ health and success to their arms, with the accompaniment of a roar of artillery. The citizens, having been haunted with apprehensions of invasion, feared that it was a French fleet, and a boat was sent from the shore in the morning to reconnoitre. Their report being of course favourable, several citizens, including the French Pasteur of Bristol, were not long in paying their respects to Lord Galway, who accepted the Mayor’s hospitality during his two days’ stay. At an hotel half-way from London, an express met him, requiring him to join a distinguished deputation to Portsmouth to congratulate the British fleet on their great victory at La Hogue, of which the news had arrived on the 28th May. This congratulation was of a substantial kind, according to Luttrell, who informs us that the Earls of Rochester and Portland, and Viscounts Sydney and Galvvay, went to Portsmouth to congratulate Admiral Russell; and that they took with them £50,000 to be distributed in the fleet; it being intended that every man should receive a gratuity to the amount of a month’s pay.
Lord Galway remained at Portsmouth to take part in the descent upon the North of France under the command of the Duke of Leinster. The expedition was not advised by him, nor in his private opinion was it advisable. But with devotion to his Prince, he contributed his best aid to the enterprise, as Luttrell’s Relation testifies. An entry, under Thursday, June 2, mentions two councils of war at Portsmouth, where the Duke of Leinster and the Marquis De Ruvigny assisted, “the whole fleet to put to sea (weather permitting) Monday next.” This is the expedition, consisting of an army of 14,000, of which I have spoken in my memoir of the gallant Duke.[1]
On the 19th July Luttrell tells us that Lord Galway was again in Portsmouth. About this time he and other officers were appointed to report upon an invention, by “one Wilson, of a vestment, not heavy nor costly, to defend any soldier from a halbert, pike, sword, or baggonet.” During the remainder of 1692 he was employed in peaceful work. The refugees still looked upon him as their “Deputé-General,” and as now having access to a truly Christian and Protestant Monarch with a view to good offices in behalf of French Protestants. When he went to Ireland in the beginning of the year, it had been decided that the half-pay French officers should be placed in the Irish Establishment; and that the veterans and their families, who chose to be colonists there, should be assisted to find a settlement. Drogheda was recommended; and during his lordship’s brief stay in Dublin some officers were sent to report as to the eligibility of the town and neighbourhood, but their report was unfavourable. His sudden return to England interrupted this business. And after his campaign with the Duke of Leinster, another branch of the subject demanded his first attention.
Refugees had fled to Switzerland in such crowds, that the circumscribed territory could not feed and keep them, except temporarily. Other Protestant nations therefore undertook to receive detachments of their expatriated brethren; and in supporting this hospitable resolve, our King William was prominent. Some of the refugees, whose thoughts inclined to Britain, were members of the families of the soldiers mentioned by Professor Wises — men who had personally contributed to the Victories
- ↑ At this time there was published, “A Sermon preached before the General and Officers in the King’s Chappel at Portsmouth, on Sunday, July 24, 1692. Being the day before they embarqu’d for the descent upon France. By William Gallaway, A.M., Chaplain to their Majesties’ Sea-Train of Artillery.”
